Saitek Cyborg Command Unit – Programmable Keys Aplenty

The Saitek Cyborg Command Unit is a new keypad aimed at the hardcore gamer, and if you’re the sort of person who feels that a standard keyboard layout just isn’t right for gaming then it might be worth taking a closer look.

The desire for a keyboard layout more suited to gaming has led to the recent introduction of specialised gaming keypads. At heart they’re a cut-down keyboard based around the WASD keys, but then build on that with a number of specialised keys all falling within easy reach of fingers and thumb to save you having to reach across a keyboard.

We’ve already looked at the Belkin Nostromo N52TE, a stylish collaboration between Belkin and Razer, but Saitek have also followed suit with their own offering, the Cyborg Command Unit.

So what do you get on the Cyborg Command Unit? To start with their are 21 fully programmable buttons plus a space and shift key. On top of that there are three different modes that allow you to alternate between different layouts, so you can quickly switch between your favourite setups for FPS, RPG and strategy games.

As well as the keys you get an adjustable thumb control area with a 2-way switch, and you also get a four-way analogue hat control. The fact that the hat control is analogue makes this keypad stand out from the competition, which are usually feature just four or eight-way digital hat controls.

The Cyborg Command Unit features LED backlighting through its laser-etched keys, and as you switch through the button modes the colour of the lighting changes between blue, yellow and green. This makes it glaringly obvious which mode you’re in at any given time. You can also adjust the brightness of the backlighting.

One of the big selling points of the Cyborg Command Unit is that its size can be adjusted. By releasing a screw on the right you can slide the bottom section of the pad away from the main keys and to the left of the unit the section that holds the thumbwheel can also be rotated slightly. This means the Cyborg Command Unit should be comfortable for almost any gamer, whether their hands are big or small.

Saitek’s SST drivers are included and allow you to program every single key (and any of its three modes) exactly as you please, whether it be a single key press or a macro. In theory you could have up to 144 actions programmed into the unit, spread across the three modes and with the use of the shift key. That should be more than enough for any gamer!

The retail price for the Saitek Cyborg Command Unit is $40 and you should be able to find it in the stores now.